How is your flock today?

[docteurshepherd]

I notice as I get older and have more time to have a connection to animals I have become more sensitive and less "practical". I also think that my practicing vet on my chickens adds to my knowledge and confidence in care for all my animals. I actually just ordered a microscope so I can do fecal floats... I'm excited!!! I feel I have connected lots of dots so to speak with other other critters because of my chooks. I hope to grow into other areas to help detect health issues early.

Well, I am impressed. Bravo!!!
Your little hen is beautiful BTW. I'm sure her eye will be better in a few.

You know it's funny you mention that because I really think I have become more sensitive too towards animals as I've gotten older. I hadn't realized it's probably because of the connections like you said. That's super cool about the microscope!! I actually was researching that awhile back as I want to do the same. I also have that same desire to continue learning and growing to detect health issues early.

Last year I was able to save a goat from polio which is really time sensitive they can succumb within I believe it's from a day to a couple days sometimes. I had to administer shots every six hours for a bit and in general for I think two weeks. I'd never given shots before. He recovered completely, I think that's where I've gotten a lot of my confidence in this type of stuff. I mean I've helped and saved animals throughout my life but that just felt really different like I was giving shots and all that. That was just last year. I'm learning and growing so much I feel like.

Thank you so so much!! I'm glad you think so too. My mom and I dote over her so much. I think she just has the sweetest and cutest little face lol. I really do love her so much. Thank you for the comforting words about her eye too. Sorry for rambling!!

 

[416bigbore]

I have an Rcom. I don't think I could get the Brinsea shipped to me, Nurture right was sold out and because of our small home with no storage, dirt and tropical bugs I did not want to go with the Hova Bator styrofoam.
Rcom was great to order from and it got here fast and in 1 piece. I spent the extra $$ for the pro so I did not get in my own way. I liked their look and set up. I have grandkids and detest the dump so try to upgrade as much as I can to keep my broken stuff out of it when I can. I am really happy with it except I am not happy with the chick freeway. It seems they trash the heck out of the unhatched eggs and I do suspect it effects my hatch. I don't know, I am no expert by any means but think I need to do smaller hatches or put in speed bumps lol. I try not to watch the little wrecking balls because it makes me nervous and sad. When/if I buy a second incubator I may go with the Nurture Right or try harder to get the Brinsea or buy a monster pro one. Who knows?
View attachment 2702416

O-wow, I just looked up the Rcon that you have and it looks like an amazing incubator. Maybe one day if I had more free time and space I would invest in a nice machine like that, but for now I think the NR 360 will do us just fine for what we have going.

I am guessing you are always hatching?

 

[416bigbore]

Can you move your hatch to a better more consistent place? Maybe better to do early than later. That is my July 4th wisdom when my safe place became a smoky warzone.
I think you will be happy with the NR 360. It gets pretty good reviews and I like that it is 360!

Unfortunately not without a lot of extra work, we are doing some remodeling and have stuff all moved around and the only room that was available and out of the way, has two big windows in it. Even with tint on the windows it still lets in enough light to raise the temperature during the hottest point of the day.

Since the safe zone temperature is between 97F-102F I keep it on the low side to help compensate for the room temperature spikes during the day. So far that seems to be working to help from the incubator temp rising over 103F and cooking the eggs and losing the hatch.

I do realize the lower temp may delay the hatch, but hopefully all goes well. I found this link to be very helpful also.

file:///C:/Users/owner/Desktop/SAVE%20Incubating%20INFO..pdf

 

[416bigbore]

When you candle them before lock-down, take a pencil and draw the shape of where the air-cell is at. That will help you to judge what side need's tp be facing upwards when you lay them flat when you start the lock-down.

Thank you, more great information from the Wise Ol' Hatch Master!

I looked at a lot of different candling egg pictures on the internet to make sure I knew how to do it and what I was actually looking for? I know the air-cell size is very important to have a successful hatch and the humidity plays a major part in the air-cell size.

I was having a difficult time with identifying the air-cell on the eggs I looked at. Some looked like the air-cell was on the pointed end down and not on the top side where it should be, and two of the five eggs I checked, the air-cell looked way to large!

Some of my eggs of the 22, it was hard to tell what end was more pointed then the other, so maybe I placed the air-cell wrong side down and not up in the egg turner?

I did notice the dark spot toward the top of the egg with light colored veins and when I would slowly move the egg around, I could see that little spot moved slightly also. So I am guessing yes a good fertile egg at this point.

I used one of those little Led lights that puts out 310 Lumens, some I believe I had enough light for candling. The other issue is my big hands and fat sausage fingers, it was hard for me to hold onto and candle those small eggs.

 

[416bigbore]

Sorry making another post because I didn't really answer the what lead up to it part in my excitement. Basically, when locking them up for the night, noticed two were missing and Ruby was laying on the ground kind of hunkered down. I picked her up and looked her over and noticed the dried blood and bite marks, immediately took her inside, put some antibiotic cream on and gave some eye drops. When examining her I noticed her crop was big but didn't think too much of it as it was the end of the day, they usually have full crops. I still decided to check it in the morning though. Maybe I'm a bad chicken owner, but no I don't habitually just go feeling every single one of my chickens crops all the time. I do occasionally but yes I missed it until the attack.

Next morning, still there, and the next. I'm researching and researching, massaging her loads, I see folks have done the operation and I feel pretty confident I can so I order the stuff I need, I just keep syringing her water multiple times a day and checking on her. Then, yeah I operated. Went as expected.

Maybe I missed it, what attacked your poor girl? Did you find your other two girls?

 

[416bigbore]

Me too for both of those. I really cant be taking a chicken to the vet so whatever it is I hope it resolves on her own or I can figure out what to do, some may find that horrible and think I'm a bad chicken owner but I just can't do that reasonably. I mean considering taking her to the vet to euthanize when it was really bad was already like something I never thought I'd do.

Your not a bad chicken owner, A bad chicken owner would have done nothing! I am just like you and try to do my best when one of our girls is ill. I can't justify a $200.00 plus dollar Vet bill for a $5.00 chicken. It would be another story if she laid golden eggs.

 

[416bigbore]

I think one is going broody, and I'm gonna let her.

That is awesome, what do you have ?

 

[416bigbore]

Only one bottle? I hope it is a BIG bottle and i bet you sweat that out in minutes lol. 107 already ouch! Ok. I except your excuses lol
Stay well and drink LOTS of water yum!!!

107F isn't hot yet! That summer time heat there is Craziness, especially if your from the Northern States and are not used to it! I did enjoy the winter months, the weather and temperatures were awesome.

 

[416bigbore]

16.9 fl.oz. bottle. I take one with me when I leave here to go over there, and then I grab another one out of the fridge over there when I'm leaving. They have 2 goat's, 2 dog's, and 11 chicken's.

O-wow Goats too, that is awesome! Do you know the breed?

 

[416bigbore]

I notice as I get older and have more time to have a connection to animals I have become more sensitive and less "practical". I also think that my practicing vet on my chickens adds to my knowledge and confidence in care for all my animals. I actually just ordered a microscope so I can do fecal floats... I'm excited!!! I feel I have connected lots of dots so to speak with other other critters because of my chooks. I hope to grow into other areas to help detect health issues early.

Well, I am impressed. Bravo!!!
Your little hen is beautiful BTW. I'm sure her eye will be better in a few.

I have to agree with you also, too funny you mention ordering a microscope. We too recently purchased one from CL and got a smoking deal on it, just for that very same reason. More so for our goats because goats for whatever reason are so prone to parasites.

The last time I looked thru a microscope was 30 plus years ago in HS Biology. Crazy how time fly's when your having fun!